Biden and Kishida agree to closely coordinate denuclearization of North Korea... Korea-US-Japan cooperation is also emphasized

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about the government’s response to COVID-19 at the White House in Washington, DC on January 13, 2019. [사진=연합뉴스]

On the 21st (local time), the leaders of the United States and Japan condemned North Korea’s series of ballistic missile tests and promised cooperation between the two countries. The two heads of state also reaffirmed the importance of trilateral cooperation not only on cooperation with North Korea but also on various pending issues such as China’s response.

According to foreign media on the 22nd, the White House issued a press release after the first video summit between President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida the day before.

“The two leaders condemned North Korea’s recent ballistic missile launch in violation of UN Security Council resolutions,” the White House said in a statement. said.

This is the first time President Biden has expressed a position on the matter after North Korea hinted at the resumption of a series of ballistic missile tests, nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests.

Prime Minister Kishida also said at a press conference held after the summit that President Biden and the two countries had agreed to closely cooperate on North Korea issues.

with this The leaders of the United States and Japan also emphasized the importance of trilateral cooperation between Korea, the United States, and Japan.

together He pledged to respond together to China’s movements to change the status quo in the East China Sea and South China, while emphasizing the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and a peaceful resolution.

Accordingly, the two leaders decided to hold a Quad Summit in Japan in the first half of this year, in which the United States, Japan, Australia and India participate. In addition, the two countries decided to establish a ‘2+2 Economic Policy Council’ with the participation of foreign and economic ministers along with the ‘2+2 meeting body’ for foreign and defense ministers currently operated by the two countries. President Biden reiterated his intention to convene a ‘Global Corona 19 Summit’ in the first quarter of this year.

Meanwhile, the two leaders This is the first official meeting since Kishida took office in October last year. According to Kyodo News Prime Minister Kishida planned to visit the United States earlier this month to hold a face-to-face meeting, but the schedule for the visit was canceled due to the spread of COVID-19.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida holds a New Year’s press conference in Ise, Mie Prefecture, where he visited the shrine on January 4, 2019. [사진=연합뉴스]